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The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embarked on a music career. The family lived in San Pueblo, a small fictional town in Northern California. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974 on the ABC network, as part of a Friday night lineup. It had subsequent runs in syndication. Band History The Partridge Family was produced for ABC by Screen Gems. The company promoted the show by releasing a series of albums featuring the family band, though most cast members did not actually play on the recordings.C'mon, Get Happy, p. 56-60 Led by music producer Wes Farrell, a group of hired studio musicians (informally referred to as the Wrecking Crew) actually created the Partridge Family's sound. The harmonious background vocalists were brothers John and Tom Bahler, Jackie Ward and Ron Hicklin (initially the Ron Hicklin Singers. David Cassidy was originally to lip sync with the rest of the cast, but he convinced Farrell just weeks into production that he could sing and was allowed to join the studio ensemble as the lead singer. He and Shirley Jones, who sang background, were the only cast members who were actually featured on the recordings. As the show and other associated merchandising took off,David Cassidy became a teen idol.C'mon, Get Happy, p. 68-73 The producers signed Cassidy as a solo act as well. Cassidy began touring with his own group of musicians, performing Partridge songs as well as hits from his own albums, to thousands of screaming teenagers in major stadiums across the USA, UK, Europe, Japan and Australia. The Partridge Family's biggest hit came in 1970 with the song "I Think I Love You", written by Tony Romeo (who had previously written several of the Cowsills' hits), peaked at Number 1 on the Billboard charts in December of that year. It sold over five million copies, was awarded a gold disc, and made the group the third fictional artist to have a #1 hit (after The Chipmunks and The Archies).Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 284. ISBN 0-214-20512-6. The song's companion LP, The Partridge Family Album, reached Number 4 in the Billboard 200. It was also awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in December 1970, having sold over one million copies. A string of hit Partridge singles followed: "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted", "I'll Meet You Halfway", "I Woke Up in Love This Morning", "It's One Of Those Nights (Yes Love)", "Am I Losing You", "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love", "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" and "A Friend And A Lover".TSORT Song Artist 592 - The Partridge Family These singles were showcased on million selling albums including "Up To Date", "Sound Magazine", "Shopping Bag", "Notebook", "Crossword Puzzle" and "Bulletin Board".TSORT Album Artist 994 - The Partridge Family The Partridge Family's "Christmas Card" album was the #1 selling Christmas record of 1971. Record sales success was replicated internationally with The Partridge Family achieving huge hits in Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In the midst of his rise to fame, David Cassidy soon grew tired of the show.C'mon, Get Happy, p. 92-95 In the summer of 1972, he gave an interview to Rolling Stone magazine in which he attempted to distance himself from the squeaky-clean image of Keith Partridge. Though Danny Bonaduce was not part of the session band, he, too, got a recording contract, and circa 1972 released a self-titled album, Danny Bonaduce. Though Bonaduce was credited as lead singer on all the songs, he insists that he had a very weak voice and that Bruce Roberts provided most of the vocals on the album. The first track on the album, a song entitled "I'll Be Your Magician," in which the 13-year-old Bonaduce seduces a woman into having sexual intercourse with him, has developed a cult following for its campy entertainment value. The original watered down version of the song was recorded with Cassidy for the "Sound Magazine" album but was discarded and never released. Selected discography * The Partridge Family Album (BB #4, CB #6) – Bell 6050—1970 * Up to Date (BB #3, CB #3) – Bell 6059—1971 * Sound Magazine (BB #9, CB #9) – Bell 6064—1971 * A Partridge Family Christmas Card (BB #1-Christmas Charts, CB #19) – Bell 6066—1971 * Shopping Bag (BB #18, CB #16) – Bell 6072—1971 * At Home With Their Greatest Hits (BB #21, CB #20) – Bell 1107—1972 * The Partridge Family Notebook (BB #41, CB #33) – Bell 1111—1972 * Crossword Puzzle (BB #167, CB #105) – Bell 1122—1973 * Bulletin Board (CB #124) – Bell 1137—1973 * Ricky Segall and The Segalls – Bell 1138—1973 (Featuring songs from the TV show) * The World of the Partridge Family – Bell 1319—1974 (2-record greatest hits compilation released at the end of the series) * Greatest Hits (1989) * The Definitive Collection (includes David Cassidy solo material) (2001) * Come On Get Happy!: The Very Best of The Partridge Family (includes some previously un-released material) (2005) References Category:Bands LTJ have covered Category:Links to Wikipedia